1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to gun rests for firearms, and more particularly, to a gun rest which is normally carried in folded, retracted and telescoping configuration beneath the barrel of a gun or rifle, and which can be quickly and selectively extended to provide a secure rest for the gun or rifle at a selected elevation. The gun rest of this invention is light in weight, compact, normally aligned with and positioned beneath the rifle barrel when not in use, and is capable of quick and easy pivotal and locked extension to provide a rest of selected length with minimum effort. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the concentrically positioned, telescoping tubes are provided with an elastic band to insure prompt and efficient return of the tapered tubes to the retracted position when it is desired to restore the monopod to its non-functional, folded position.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Gun rests of varying description and design have been in existence since the advent of firearms. Perhaps the earliest known rest was a forked stick of selected length used to support the barrel of a gun while aiming and firing. Such rests were known in the Revolutionary War and were, in many instances, considered to be essential equipment for sharp-shooters and snipers during that era. Gun rests were particularly significant and useful during this time period because of the extremely heavy weight of the guns and muskets used, which necessitated either a portable rest or the use of a tree or fence post to support the barrel of the weapon. Typical of the gun rests of an early era is that described in British Pat. No. 15,996 to E. C. Abella, which discloses a gun support having one end hingedly attached to a rifle or gun at a point forward of the trigger guard, and the opposite end secured to the user's belt. The device was designed to telescope and cradle the gun in order to facilitate a steady aim.
Bipod support attachments for weapons are particularly well known in the art. Typical of such supports is the bipod gun mount for military application which is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,997 E. M. Stoner, which device includes a spring-loaded, folding and adjustable bipod mount which is mounted on the front end of a firearm for support in aiming and firing the weapon. Another bipod mount is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,422 to G. Harris, which bipod is adapted for attachment to a firearm. The device includes a chair having a pivoting seat and back and mounted on a base to swing forwardly and upwardly. A link system supported by the seat is provided with a leg rest on the front end, which is disposed beneath the seat when retracted and in parallel relation therewith and with itself in all positions during movement from retracted to extended position.
Most of the gun rests or mounts disclosed in the prior art were designed for military application, with the bipod mounts having specific application to relatively heavy, automatic or semi-automatic weapons designed to be fired while in the prone position. These mounts are characteristically heavy and cumbersome and are generally adjustable only to a limited degree.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved rest for firearms which is adjustable and light in weight, and which may be removably and pivotally mounted on the barrel of substantially any gun or rifle for quick and easy deployment from a compact and convenient non-functional, stored configuration.
Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved gun rest for substantially any firearm which is characterized by a plurality of light, nested, tapered telescoping members which are biased in normally retracted configuration, and which may be removably and rotatably clamped to the barrel of a firearm for selective, pivotal, downward extension and locking against the bias to provide a steady, efficient and secure rest during aiming and firing of the gun or rifle, and to permit rotation of the gun or rifle barrel in the barrel clamp or clamps when the weapon is sighted on a moving target.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved, light-weight gun rest which can be removably mounted on the barrels of guns and rifles of substantially any description, which rest is characterized by a pivoting, telescoping monopod featuring multiple, tapered cylinders or tubes and designed to rest in essentially parallel relationship to and beneath the firearm barrel when not in use, and in deployed configuration, is pivoted downwardly to a position at essentially 90.degree. with respect to the barrel, with the cylinders extended downwardly from a base cylinder in temporarily locked position to provide a steady rest for the firearm.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved, light-weight gun rest which is characterized by a telescoping monopod featuring a base cylinder and multiple, tapered interior cylinders, which monopod is pivotally mounted on a frame capable of being removably and rotatably clamped to or mounted on the gun barrel of a firearm to permit rapid downward pivoting of the monopod and extension and locking of the tapered, multiple, concentric cylinders from the base cylinder in the monopod to a selected height in order to provide a rest for secure aiming and shooting of the firearm.